1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to warheads and, more particularly, to dual operating mode warheads which are selectively operable according to the type of target being engaged to assure maximum effectiveness against that target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern warfare is becoming more and more intense, with weapons which are ever more lethal and which can be delivered in high fire rates with deadly accuracy. At the same time, mobility of force is receiving more emphasis. Logistics as well as effectiveness emphasize the benefits of multi-purpose munitions which can be ready for use with maximum effectiveness against a variety of targets. Working against this multi-target capability is the hardness of modern armor, which progressively requires more and more penetration capability to reach the vulnerable components, requiring warheads to be designed for maximum penetration against only one class of target. Sensors now permit the knowledge of the target class being attacked, sometimes before launch, and with the brilliant munitions currently under development, perhaps just before impact. It would be desirable to change the warhead function from one of achieving maximum penetration to one achieving maximum lethality with more moderate penetration when non-tank material targets such as armored personnel carriers or air defense or missile launchers are attacked.
It has long been a goal of armorers to provide in a single projectile the ability to successfully attack and destroy an enemy's heavy armor while simultaneously eliminating surrounding lightly armored positions and personnel. Selective examples of the prior art either directly or peripherally relating to this concept is provided below.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,610 to van Zyle et al. a minibomb warhead is disclosed in which simultaneous dual end initiation is said to produce an enhanced blast effect when the detonation wave converges in the central area of the minibomb where the missile fragments are wrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,059 to Moe discloses a guided missile warhead with selectively operable multiple initiation devices intended to optimize the initial available explosive energy to effect the most efficient transfer of energy into high velocity fragments. A shift of the fragment beam spray along the length of the warhead can be obtained by selective initiation of either end of the warhead or simultaneous initiation at both ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,063 to Hurst discloses a warhead with an hourglass-shaped explosives charge. At either or both ends of the charge, an expandable rod structure or rod fragments are placed and arranged at any desired angle to the longitudinal axis of the charge. The charge is initiated intermediate its ends and, because of its shape, creates a concentrated pancake-configured, shock wave and gas cloud expanding radially outward from the center of the charge. It is said that because of the large amount of explosive between the initiation point and the rod structure, the rods are imparted with a higher velocity than in conventional warheads of comparable mass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,972 to Menz et al. discloses a warhead initiation system provided with the selective capability of igniting the warhead from one end or from both ends simultaneously to control the fragmentation pattern, or fragment beam spray, of the warhead. The warhead can thereby be tailored for the target to optimize its effectiveness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,859 to Furch et al. discloses a multiple purpose warhead for simultaneously combatting hard, semi-hard, and soft targets. For this purpose, it exhibits a plurality of different parts of equal diameter, including separate casings and explosive charges, each of which has a different type of cladding or layer and corresponds to a different target requirement, the different parts being arranged behind one another in succession.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,272 to Lindstadt et al. discloses a warhead with a charge adapted to selectively produce either a single compact projectile or, through suitable constructive measures, to be able to concurrently produce a plurality of projectiles, so as to be able to attack hard or heavily armored targets, such as a battle tank, as well as lightly armored or even unarmored targets by means of a projectile which is correlated with the target.